


Hearts and Thrones

by chippedcupsonbakerstreet



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Captain Swan - Freeform, F/M, Pirates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-20
Updated: 2014-01-27
Packaged: 2018-01-09 10:04:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1144679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chippedcupsonbakerstreet/pseuds/chippedcupsonbakerstreet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Once Upon a Time in the Land of Westeros, disgraced Captain Killian Greyjoy turned pirate for Salladhor Saan is given a mission to obtain a package from across the seas in Pentos. Emma Swan, the unknown bastard daughter of the King and Queen after being taken as a baby was tainted with the magic of the undying and now she is about to be used to dethrone her own family.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. KILLIAN

KILLIAN

A Greyjoy’s home was on the sea, with the sea’s salty breath hissing on hardened cheeks. Life for those on the Iron Islands was hard and gruelling, everyday a struggle. A struggle that they had always faced with honour and strength. That wasn’t the life for Killian Greyjoy. He sought the adventure of the sea but not the hardships of the islands they called home. He wanted life to contain that uncontrolled excitement that was rarely found on the harrowed faces of the Iron born.

The disgraced son of Balon Greyjoy found what he needed once he had stolen a worthless ship from his father’s fleet. How he managed to sail the ship alone across to Ironman’s bay was even a mystery to him. The god of the sea had been on his side. It was that tale that he told the Prince of the Narrow Sea. Salladhor Saan couldn’t miss the opportunity of a Greyjoy in his ranks and had taken the young man under his wing with open arms. The life of a pirate suited Killian too well and by the end of that year he had already secured a promotion to Captain with his own ship. The Jolly Roger. That had been ten years ago.

Westeros had recently been in a time of unrest due to the untimely death of the King. It had been a hard time for pirates when ships had no coin to transport their goods. The Royal Wedding however, had brought all manner of cargo ships across their way and after a successful taking he thought it only proper to celebrate in the proper fashion… 

‘Salladhor will not be amused to see you wasting time like this when you should be sailing across the sea to the Free Cities.’ Smee said anxiously twisting the red linen of his head scarf through his hands. 

‘Let the Pirate Prince know…I’m sure…he will gladly join me…’ Killian said absently as the tavern girl’s lips kissed teasingly at the nape of his neck as she began to unlace him. ‘Are you going to stand there and watch?’ 

‘Captain, I honestly think we should go…you should go.’ His eyes widened as the girl started to unlace herself and he put a hand over his eyes. 

‘Your answer can be found in that one word Smee. I am the Captain and I say when we leave.’ His statement was finished with a sigh of pleasure as her hands caressed across his chest. 

‘I say you leave now,’ Salladhor smirked from the doorway and gestured for Smee to go with a small pat on the man’s back. ‘You can have your fun once you secure the prize from Pentos.’ He pulled Killian back from the bed, the ex Greyjoy fumbling with his trousers as he struggled to hold them up. 

‘You disappear into King’s Landing for some unknown purpose and come back speaking of a prize across the sea that will earn us the biggest reward in gold that a pirate has laid eyes on?’ He scoffed. The Pirate Prince had come back with gold practically glinting in the sweat of his eyes. 

‘Exactly, you will be a good man and collect the prize that will have been dropped off at the dock and then you can wet your appetite on more than just a tavern girl,’ Saan promised but as he spoke he moved to the bed in Killian’s place. ‘Now off you go. Oh and the package…you can look but not touch’ He batted his hand for him to leave with a smirk. 

***

‘Whatever this ‘package’ is it better be worth my time. He just sneaked his way into the woman I paid good money for.’ Killian grumbled as sauntered up the gangplank and onto the deck. He was proud that Saan had chosen him to accomplish the task but that didn’t mean that he would enjoy doing it. He usually preferred the tasks that ended with his pockets jingling, his sword wet with blood and his pleasure sated but unfortunately sometimes he couldn't pick and choose.

‘He hasn’t really been too specific on the details has he Captain?’ Smee offered following behind him in hope that the previous occurrence had been forgotten. Smee could be a bumbling oaf at times but he was the first man he met when his wrecked ship touched the mainland shores of Westeros and he had offered him his water skin. The man had been by his side ever since.

‘He hasn’t told me anything! For all I know I’m collecting a three legged pig that’s been blessed by the Seven.’ He sighed and sidestepped around a man rolling a barrel across the deck. The skies were clear so he barked orders to set sail immediately. He didn’t want to wait for the bad weather to strike.

The decent weather didn’t last. The rest of the journey to Pentos had been gruelling to say the least and with each passing storm that hit them Killian became more irritable about the whole affair. Still, he hadn’t been made the Captain for no reason. Under his experienced command his crew had pulled through the waves expertly. When they arrived in Pentos it was if the entire ship sighed with relief. 

‘You have till noon before we set sail once again,’ Killian announced before he left the ship. He was met with groans but he waved them off. ‘Quieten down you whining sea bastards! My objective was to pick up a package from Pentos and return as soon as the weather permits. If anyone wants to complain then complain to Saan when we dock back at Blackwater.’ They all stopped then and shoved and pushed each other off the gangplank and into the bustling market of Pentos. 

‘Captain Greyjoy do I have to look after the ship again? Its just I’ve never been to Pentos and…’ Smee asked from the bottom deck looking up at him from his place at the helm. 

‘I do not trust the slimy dock traders here. You will stay here there’s nothing you’re missing trust me,’ He answered with a smirk and started into the port. ‘I’ll bring you back a souvenir Smee!’ He called back with a hearty laugh. 

Pentos had many wares to offer. The harsh, thick and accented sellers shouted at him from behind their stalls offering all sorts of unwanted items. He had turned down the carved statues of every god that could be named, a luck pendent apparently crafted from dragon glass and wine imported from all corners of the land. If he had the coin to spare he would have bought the wine but Salladhor was holding back on the pay until after this mission. At the end of the port was the slave market that still thrived in the Free Cities. He was about to turn back knowing he had come too far when a man grasped his shoulder. 

‘You be Saan’s boy?’ He asked his bald head glistening with the sweat of the sun. The man's eyes were naturally narrowed and cruel but his hairless hands looked like they hadn't done a days work and he reeked of a sickly sweet perfume that didn't bode well on his nose in the sun.

‘I am Captain Greyjoy, a member of the Pirate Princes fleet aye.’ He nodded looking about for the prize that he might possess to be picked up. He was expecting some expensive artifact or priceless jewels of some kind but he didn't see anything. 

‘I have his shipment for ya if you would come with me.’ He beckoned him with a finger over to the slave pen. Killian didn’t understand, why was he heading toward the slaves? They were forbidden back in Westeros. Did Salladhor want him executed?

‘I hope you are not trying to sell me a slave knowing that I cannot accept.’ He said gruffly following behind him. The man didn’t answer him immediately but led on to where a figure sat tied to a post. A sack was placed over their head and was slumped uselessly against the tight bonding. 

‘Not a slave Captain but a prisoner. You will be escorting this prisoner back to Salladhor Saan as requested by the…’ He stopped himself before he said anything more. Killian raised a quizzical eyebrow at the man before reached forward to remove the sack. Long golden curls greased with dirt and blood fell from underneath; wet with the humid air of the sack. The gagged woman was beautiful despite the swollen and blood crusted nose and lip. Her blue eyes still shone with fiery tenacity as she stared up at him.

‘I have been given no information about this woman. Can I ask that of you?’ He asked the stranger his gaze still on her. 

‘A bastard tainted with the magic of the Undying. That is all you need to know,’ He kicked the woman to make her stand and she groaned slightly through the gag as he bent her arms back to unhook her bonds from the post. ‘She’s all yours Captain…well she’s Saan’s anyway. See that she gets to Westeros alive.’ He gripped her by the hair and pushed her toward him. The prisoner stumbled into him but jerked away as he moved to touch her. Not having time for games the pirate reached out for her and pulled her close. 

‘Listen closely now, this journey can either be smooth and peaceful for you or it can be the worst that you will ever make. It all depends on how you treat you dear Captain and you will address me as such while aboard my ship do you understand?’ He threatened and her glare had a flicker of defeat as she continued to look him straight in the eye. ‘Now when I remove this gag I want you to tell me your name and then we can be on our way.’ He pulled it down and she wretched a little spitting out flecks of blood and spit before looking once more back up at him. 

‘Go to hell you pirate bastard!’


	2. EMMA

EMMA

 

I am nothing. I am no one. That was what she had been told continuously ever since she could remember. It had become her way of dealing with the haunting memories that pursued her in both reality and the world of dreams. Blue lips, coldness, pain and never remembering. It had become a routine that she had been forced to dutifully follow. The unknown princess would wake up different after every experimental encounter with magic, always older, but she had never questioned it. She had never known any different.

That was until she had been taken. The men had come for her with their knives and snarls but despite fighting and almost killing one of them her resistance had been futile. Battered, bruised and on the verge of being beaten she had been transported like chained cattle to the slave market of Pentos. Her nameless guardians had taught her letters and words and she had read of the noble knights and past kings of the Seven Kingdoms. She had not wished for a noble knight to come and rescue her, she had wished that the fat, foul smelling pig of a man had come near enough so she could have kicked him in the balls. Neither came to pass, instead she had been passed on as if she were a dog to a not so harsh but equally as loathed pirate.

Emma had changed her mind. She hated the goddamn sea! She had once before glimpsed it through her window and had longed to see it up close. Not anymore! She now longed for sweet dry land as her hands gripped the bucket that smelled of both soap and old vomit. She had already knocked her head on the small stacked bunks of the cabin she had been put in and the _Captain_ had left her with nothing but a bucket as he left to set sail. The ship lurched over yet another wave and she could hold it in no longer. She fell to her knees that scraped on the wooden boards and retched up what little contents she had in her stomach. Every time she had recovered from her heaving another wave would strike.

‘Someone is going to get punched for doing this to me,’ she grumbled to herself not bothering to wipe the spittle from her chin. As if her hair wasn’t bad enough, the dirtied tips of her blonde hair now reeked along with the added contents of the bucket. She might have imagined it but she was sure a head had peeped inside before bustling back out again. ‘I am nothing. I am no one.’ She repeated and breathed deeply to try and curb the nausea before the sound of voices interrupted the silence.

‘You put me right off my food you know that?’ She heard the arrogant Captain quip from close by. She let out a small groan and cursed under her breath. She wasn’t in the mood to argue with him, why couldn’t he just leave her alone? Wasn’t it bad enough already?   

‘B-but but Captain she’s, she’s…’

‘Hurling her guts up. I know, you did tell me Smee, right down to the last minute detail.’

‘I just thought you should know that’s all I didn’t mean to…’

‘A bit late for apologies now don’t you think?’

‘So…aren’t you going to…?’

‘What?’ The Captain asked as if he had no clue to what the other man was alluding to. The answer was a mumble that Emma couldn’t quite make out. ‘By the gods Smee I am not her damned maid! She’s a prisoner and if she wants to retch all night then let her. She’ll get used to it sooner or later,’ The remark was met by silence with no answer from the other voice or at least Emma didn’t hear one. Then when the silence stretched she was relieved to know that they had left.

She hadn’t expected anything less. To him she was nothing more than a package to be delivered. He wouldn’t pity her and she didn’t want it either. She didn’t know how much later it was when a knock sounded on the cabin door. It was a soft knock so she guessed it must be the man who had been worried about her. She didn’t say anything but her eyes travelled up from the bucket to watch the door. The soft knock repeated but a little harder.

‘Why am I even knocking? It’s my bloody ship,’ The voice scoffed as the door opened and the Captain stalked inside with a bottle in hand. ‘An annoying little birdie with a red hat told me you’re dirtying up my nice swabbed decks.’

‘Leave me alone.’ She spat glaring at him before looking away. Why did this incessant man insist on making her situation even worse? She was being treated as a slave and being shipped far from home. She was scared but she didn’t want to admit it.

‘Quite the step up from pirate bastard now don’t you think?’ She saw his smirk and rolled her eyes. She thought if she didn’t say anything he would just leave. ‘You still haven’t told me your name beautiful.’

‘Shut up and I never will! It doesn’t make any difference to you what my name is.’ Emma snapped and looked down from his stare as she wiped her chin.

‘I could always make you?’ He mused sticking his lip out in thought. It should have been directed as a threat but it didn’t sound like one. She was still angered by the comment though and she leaned across the bucket to face him.

‘Now you listen to me _Captain,_ I don’t know why all of this is happening to me. No one will even tell me! By the Seven I’m no one special, I’m no one important. Yet I’ve been beaten and taken from everything I know and being shipped to… I don’t even know where,’ Emma couldn’t hold back her frustration anymore but her throat was raw and she didn’t like how her voice was breaking. Her outburst was soon followed with the need to heave again and she doubled over the bucket as she did. ‘Why are you still here?’ She asked exhausted from the seasickness.

‘Drink some of this, I find it settles the stomach,’ His voice was commanding but not harsh and he pulled up a stool opposite her. He offered her the bottle that he held in his hand and she took it hesitantly wiping the rim of the bottle with her fingers. ‘I don’t have a disease that I know of.’ He tutted and raised an eyebrow at her.

‘Give me one good reason why I should trust you?’ She retorted the bottle hovering at her lips. She waited as she watched him muse over the answer. He scratched at the clipped beard at his jaw and studied her, it was a look that she wasn’t sure if she liked because she didn’t understand it.

‘You should be grateful that it was me who was asked to fetch you. Any other man I know would have had a beauty like you between his legs by now, no questions asked.’ His words were slow and emphatic and darn right typical. She let the bottle drop to her side and shook her head incredulously.

‘Grateful? What so you want me to applaud your ability to keep the laces of your breeches tied?’ She scoffed, dripping in sarcasm.

‘Yes actually, a spot of appreciation wouldn’t go amiss. A pirate’s sword yearns to be flourished. It can become quite painful at times.’ He was teasing her and if she wasn’t feeling exceedingly awful she would have punched him.

‘If it’s that painful then I don’t think pirates should have swords.’ Emma countered but his rascally smirk only widened. ‘Now get lost and go eat your food.’

‘What? You don’t like spending time with the generous Captain?’ He gave her a bottle of whatever it was and suddenly he thought them best of friends? Idiot.

‘The Captain is many things but not generous. He is insufferable.’

‘Oh I don’t know about that…’

‘Arrogant.’

‘Most definitely.’

‘Self-centred.’

‘Who isn’t?’

‘Tactless.’

‘Where did you get-‘

‘Inconsiderate.’

‘You’ve known me five minutes!’

‘Unattractive.’

‘What?! That’s it; I draw the line at that love.’ He stood up suddenly with a wave of his hands. She noted the not so well hidden look of hurt that glimpsed in his eyes and she was surprised that he hadn’t taken it with laughter as he had the other insults.

‘Don’t call me that.’ She said simply and scrunched up her nose as she felt yet another wave of nausea. Remembering the bottle she swigged and gulped down the liquid squeezing her eyes shut as she felt the burn and waited for the soothing effects that he’d promised. Nothing. She held the bottle to her lips once more.

‘You shouldn’t drink it so fast…are you listening to me…you’re going to make yourself sick again...whoa hold up now!’ He had spoken quietly at first but got increasingly louder and more annoyed…more concerned? Emma had drowned out his words as she continued until he had snatched the bottle from her grasp. ‘And you called me insufferable?’

‘Give it back, it was helping!’ She argued stumbling to get up from the floor. The alcohol had warmed her and soothed her throat and she wanted more.

‘I said drink some not down the whole bottle. This is my own private stock this is!’ He gestured holding it up but away from her. Emma swayed and the quick effects of the alcohol were beginning to take hold. ‘You look terrible.’ He observed with a frown.

‘I don’t feel well.’ She shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself.

‘Well I’m not surprised you…’ He cut off when she staggered and tripped over the bucket sending the contents flushing across the floor and onto his boots. He cursed but quickly placed down the bottle to catch her before she fell to the vomit ridden floor.

‘I don’t feel well.’ She repeated queasily that was muffled against his chest. 

‘You ruined my boots.’ He answered and lifted her so that her head hung over his shoulder. ‘And you are cleaning this up in the morning.’ He added stepping carefully to leave the cabin.

‘No.’

‘No? No, I think you are. Just wait till you’re not puking.’ He warned her but Emma was shaking her head her hair flicking in his face. That’s not what she meant.

‘No, you’re not unattractive.’ She mumbled before she collapsed. 


	3. KILLIAN

Killian tilted his head with a devilishly prominent smirk as he watched his still nameless prisoner sleep, a bit too peacefully. The pirate captain was leaning against a propped mop with the stiff fronds splayed across the boards of his cabin. A clean, metal bucket dangled from his other hand and he stood there silently while he debated on whether to wake the blonde beauty up. It didn’t take him long to decide.

‘By the gods you are hideous when you sleep,’ He muttered to himself as he moved to squat by the edge of the bed. Her hair had fallen over her eyes in sticky clumps and her top lip was pushed back and up against the rough spun linen of the pillow. ‘Rise and shine love, a certain rum guzzler needs to clean their mess and it’s certainly not me.’

‘Pissth off.’ She managed after a grumbling moan and screwed her eyes shut even tighter as she turned her back to him. Killian rolled his eyes and sent a poke to her back with the handle of the mop.

‘You and that disgustingly dirty body of yours have stunk out my bed for long enough, so I suggest you get up and start the day with that glorious smile.’ He quipped sarcastically, as she honestly didn’t really have anything to smile about. Apart from being in his presence of course, who wouldn’t want to smile at that?

‘Your bed? Mmm, nice and cosy.’ She said dreamily to mock him and shifted to snuggle more comfortably into his thick mattress. Killian ran his tongue across his teeth in mild amusement and annoyance. If Saan ever asked him to do something like this again he would flat out refuse. 

‘I’m serious. It’s not just my boots that reek of vomit now come on, get up!’ He urged poking her back once again but instead of moving, she flailed her arm to try and slap him away.

‘Poke me again and I’ll aim for your face next time.’ She huffed in retort and pulled the blanket around her as she curled up. Killian was not about to let her get away with it. He straightened and set the bucket aside so he could try and pull the blanket from her. She cursed at him but held fast and he wondered why the hell he was putting himself through this. She was becoming more trouble then she was worth.

‘You know, I didn’t want to do this but you leave me no choice…’ He sighed, picking up the bucket and turned while scanning the room.

‘Wait, no! Fine, I’m up!’ She suddenly called out to him. He turned with a raised eyebrow at her plea and watched humorously as she threw the blanket back with an annoyed sigh.

‘That was easier than I thought.’ He said surprisingly and she glared at him as she pushed her hair out of the way and tucked it behind her ears.

‘Well I didn’t want to be soaked first thing in the morning now did I?’ She countered and hearing that Killian stifled a laugh. ‘What?’ She questioned with furrowed brows.

‘What did you think I was going to do?’ He asked, shaking his head with a grin as he studied her unwavering and less than impressed expression.

‘Don’t laugh at me! You were going to throw water on me…weren’t you?’ She started gruffly but dwindled into uncertainty.   

‘Actually no, I was just going to rattle the bucket…’ He winked and picked up the breadknife and rattled it against the sides. ‘Not nice is it? Would have woken you up for sure!’ He called over the racket. She stormed across to snatch the bucket from his hands with some crude insult that was too mumbled to hear properly. ‘There you go, wasn’t so hard was it?’ He leaned in to whisper teasingly. He could see that she was debating on whether to hit him but something must have held her back.

‘Are you going to let me pass then?’ She asked haughtily and grabbed the mop that he was leaning on.

‘Not looking like that. You’ll probably blind a few gulls.’ Killian scoffed after studying her for a moment. The dress she was wearing, or rather what was left of it, would have been blue if not for the cracked mud, dust and goodness knows what else. She didn’t have any boots but someone must have given her some makeshift footwear out of some wraps that were beginning to fall apart. He was answered with the thwack of the mop.

‘Do you act like an idiot all the time or is it just a morning thing?’ She questioned. She was lucky that he were a good natured pirate. A thwack of the mop on another of Saan’s ships would have earned her far more than a hearty laugh.

‘Now, now, play nice. Wouldn’t want to have you back in shackles now would we?’ He replied in his own version of a threat. There was enough sternness behind it for her to know that it wasn’t empty. He couldn’t have his crew seeing a woman hitting him after all. He still had his reputation to uphold despite his sympathy for her in this situation. He furthered the threat with warning stare before moving to his personal chest and piled some of his own spare clothes onto the bed. ‘Big but they’ll do. Soap and wash basin in the corner, although the soap doesn’t really smell of much. Scrub up then off to work you go.’

‘Th-‘

‘Go on, what do you what to possibly complain about now?’ He asked with a blunt sigh, just waiting for the spurt of sarcasm or vitriolic statement. He didn’t have a brush or fitting clothes but they would do. He didn’t have to do anything he reminded himself.

‘I was only going to say thank you!’ She replied defensively but he could see the gratitude behind those highly built up barriers of hers. Without another word but a small nod, Killian left his cabin closing the door behind him. He always kept his crew busy so they wouldn’t even notice his prisoner troubles.

He stepped out into the middle of the deck and breathed in the fresh salt of the air. That was why he loved the sea. It tasted of freedom and adventure. It also tasted of her bloody vomit! He glanced back at his cabin and scratched at the hairs that bearded his well groomed chin.  A mischievous idea managed to sneak its way up into his thoughts. A warning flashed by with the words of Salladhor had told him before he left. _You can look but you can’t touch._ Well, he was only going to take a look…

He moved as silently as he could back across the deck and situated himself by the crack of the door hinge and tried to peer inside. He didn’t even get a chance to see anything when something heavy thudded against the door and he jumped backwards, a curse slipping past his lips.

‘I can see your shadow you dirty, spying bastard!’ Her voice shouted to him from inside and he chuckled to himself as he retreated back to the helm, a bit disappointed at his failed attempt.

‘Is she feeling better this morning Captain?’ Smee inquired as he bundled up beside him. Other Captains sneered at him for his choice of first mate. Most chose the strongest among the crew that could break two barrels with his bare hands. Smee was useful to him in his own weird way, last night being one of those odd occurrences. His ship wouldn’t be the same without him.

‘Back to her usual charming self.’ He answered him and the short dumpy man laughed before helping some of the men tighten the knots that held up the sails.

Captain Killian Greyjoy spent the next half hour crunching on numerous apples that they had loaded on from Pentos. He was on his third as he leaned against the rigging, peering out at sea with his spyglass. A shadow flicked across his view on the horizon but was instantly forgotten when he heard the closing of a door.

She looked up at him with small, awkward shrug of a smile. He could see that the sway of the ship was still affecting her but at least she wasn’t throwing up. She’d tucked his shirt into the trousers and tightened them with his belt. Her hair was still damp from when she’d washed it. As she stood there, the salt that hung in the breeze tightened the waves of her brightened blonde curls. Saying that she scrubbed up well was an understatement. He swallowed the apple in his mouth and snapped his spyglass shut before sauntering down to greet her.

‘I’ll fill this up shall I?’ She asked holding up the bucket as he approached. He took it from her and quickly tied a rope to it before lowering it into the sea and pulling it back up filled with water. ‘Where’s the cabin again?’ She looked about unsurely.

‘Follow the smell, you’ll find it soon enough.’ He answered with a smirk as he tipped some of the water back over the side before handing it to her. She rolled her eyes before taking the bucket and sure enough she found it without his direction. He swiped another apple from the sack before following her down and found her, sleeve pressed up against her mouth. 

‘You weren’t joking.’ She coughed pushing the mop into the bucket. There were multiple words he could use to describe the congealing mess but he didn’t honestly want to put himself off his apple. If that hadn’t already been done…

‘We’re taking you to Westeros, why I don’t know but that’s where I have to take you.’ He spoke up after ten minutes of swishing water and apple munching. She looked back at him as if surprised by his sudden willingness to talk.

‘If you don’t know why then do you know who to?’ She inquired glancing back down as she wrung the mop against the side of the bucket.

‘Salladhor Saan, the Prince of the Narrow Sea instructed me to ‘deliver’ you back to Blackwater Bay but that’s where my knowledge ends.’ He didn’t want to voice his suspicions in case of scaring her. It had to be a wealthy benefactor at the very least if Saan was interested. Those of wealth inside King’s Landing were not people you wanted to be in business with for long. There was a reason they had that power. She didn’t answer him just swiped at her brow before continuing. ‘You missed a spot.’ He said casually but he couldn’t help the grin as she snapped back at him with an eyebrow raised.

‘Seriously? Why the hell are you watching me mop a floor anyway? Hoping I’ll take my top off in the sweltering heat?’ She countered but Killian didn’t have the chance to offer back a witty comment. A resounding holler of one of his crew members echoed from up deck. Not the kind of shout that he wanted to hear. He rushed up to see what was happening and he didn’t need to ask to know what the problem was. That speck of shadow he had glimpsed through his spyglass was a speck no longer. The forever nearing shape of a ship was pursuing them across the waves. If he hadn’t been bloody distracted!

‘You having some ship envy? That one is twice the size of yours.’ She chirped up from the side of him but seeing the grim look on his face she frowned. ‘What’s wrong? Are we in trouble?’

‘We’re in trouble alright.’ Killian’s frown only deepened as not too far in the distance the black and gold kraken fluttered a top the mast of the rival ship. No, not just any ship…A ship from the Iron Islands.


	4. EMMA

Trouble. By the looks of things they were in deep and probably life threatening trouble. No, it wasn't the fact that there was a ship twice their size heading toward them that gave Emma that idea, or the way the crew were scrambling around the deck like they'd just dropped their balls. They certainly added to the impression but it was the unfaltering look of fear creasing the Captain's eyes that cinched it. He might have tried to hide it from his crew but she was no fool. As if her problems weren't already bad enough…

Cornered against his cabin doors the unknown princess could only watch the pirates' attempts to outrun the pursuing ship, her heart thudding in time with the scurrying feet. This would now be the second time when death seemed to loom on her horizon and it was in no way easier than the first. Her worried thoughts were constantly being interrupted by bouts of the Captain's harsh voiced orders and the odd muttered prayer of some men as they passed her. In theory they had the advantage being the smaller ship and therefore should be faster but the kraken didn't seem to be getting any further away.

'Can't this stupid ship go any faster?' She called to him with increasing anxiety over the cacophony of noise. The Captain seemed to be locked in his own trance, playing to a personal rhythm of the sea as the rudders of the helm counterbalanced in his hands. He still registered her voice however.

'My perfectly hand crafted vessel is going as fast as she can!' He countered through gritted teeth. On the edge of disaster and the man was defending his ship with wounded pride as if it were his child.

'Well the bigger perfectly hand crafted vessel isn't going away!' Emma argued her gaze flickering from him to their pursuer. What would happen if they caught up with them? Would they kill her? Would they kill all of them? Or it could be worse…for her anyway.

'Don't you think I know that?! I'm not blind love,' He yelled back and she took a moment to realise that like her, he used sarcasm as a mechanism to hide what he was really feeling.

'Why can't you just…I don't know, throw some stuff overboard to make it go faster?' She suggested in a flailing panic. Did she mention that she hated the sea?

'Volunteering are you?' He scoffed. That was a no then… 'Now, will you just shut up and let me do my job?' He added and she huffed feeling utterly useless. She wasn't about to stand there and do nothing though. The man that the Captain had named Smee or idiot more than anything really was struggling to fasten a knot at the mast. Seizing the opportunity she rushed over to ease the pressure at the rough tendons of weaved rope. Emma grunted as it burned in her hands but he soon tied it and panted a thanks before carting off to do something else. She rubbed her hands into her not very well fitting trousers but as she did so she noticed something.

'They're turning…' She mumbled in confusion to herself. 'They're turning!' She called louder looking up at the Captain with a laugh of relief. She didn't want to think as to the reason but why else would they turn around if not to leave? Her Captain caught the wheel in his hand for a moment to let his piercing blue gaze rest on her before he looked with a furrowed brow to the sea at his back. His confusion instantly gave way to alarm.

'Get down! Everyone get down now!' He exclaimed and she noticed that his voice was hoarse from all the shouting. Emma watched not quite understanding as he careened away from the helm and jumped down onto the lower deck. She didn't even have the chance to react as his arms enveloped her and he pulled her down with him to the deck.

'What the he-' Emma couldn't finish her protest as what started as a stifled boom from behind them ended with a splintering crack against the mast. A canon had torn right through the thick wooden pole, instantly severing the main sail. She felt his arms around her tighten as she glimpsed from behind the musty leather of his coat the remains topple and crash over them.

'Are you alright?' His gasp was muffled against the collar of her shirt. Emma had a pain in her shoulder from when she had hit the wooden boards but she wouldn't complain. She could have just been decapitated or impaled by a falling mast after all.

'Yeah…' Emma managed suffering from an element of shock. She desperately tried to push aside the fact that he was laying on top of her and looked up at the sail that had blanketed the ship. It shaded the sun casting them in a warm orange glow. It would have been strangely beautiful if not for the fact that they were still in danger of being killed.

'No need to thank me, I couldn't let that pretty face go to waste,' He panted with a grin as he pushed himself up onto his hands. Still a little too close for comfort, the faint smell of rum was on his breath as his chest still heaved but she was captured for that moment in his eyes as he stared down at her. 'Are you picturing this on my bed with fewer clothes on? Because I am.' Moment ruined. Emma shook her head with a scoffing sigh as she pushed him off.

'Ship, broken mast, probable death, remember?' She cursed the Captain in disbelief as she lifted herself up. This man must be insane, he was thinking about sex just as they were all about to die…well actually of course that was what a man like him would think about. As if to remind him another canon fired narrowly missing the ship but it spurred him back into action. He jumped to his feet and his eyes flickered across the broken ship, she noticed a moment of utter loss and defeat. A moment ago this had been his most precious possession and now no one knew if they were going to make it past the next sunrise.

'Arm yourselves lads! We're going to wet our steel with their blood and show them what it means when you pick fight with Captain Killian Greyjoy!' He hollered out to them to raise morals before taking her hand and dragging her along behind him.

'What the hell?! Where are you taking me?' She protested digging in her heels and ducking to avoid the collapsed canvas. She dared a look back and swallowed with fear. The enemy ship was close enough now to see the men aboard waiting for a bloody sea battle and they battered their weapons at the side to create a monstrous sound. If the survived this then it would be a miracle.

'You are still in my care love and I'll be damned if I let you die on my watch.' His smirk had faltered down to a grim but determined, hard set frown. She finally managed to struggle out of his grasp once he had pulled her to his cabin that was still accessible.

'If everyone else is going to fight then I want to as well!' Emma objected to his back as he rummaged in his chest.

'You'd make a good pirate,' He glanced back to smirk faintly but sighed as he seemed to have found what he had been looking for. 'But no, I can't risk you dying unnecessarily. You're obviously important to someone otherwise they wouldn't have gone through all this trouble.' He tossed a small bottle in his hands and then his face became unreadable to her.

'What's that?' She asked crossing her arms against her with a gesturing nod toward the bottle. 'I sure hope its some magic potion that will solve all this shit we have to deal with.' It must be something serious otherwise he would have smirked at that…but he didn't. Before he answered the shout from outside were getting louder.

'I don't have much time. Listen, there is a good chance that we'll all die, a small chance that we might not.' His voice lowered as he stepped toward her. 'You will stay here, on y orders you will stay. If they break in here then you know that I'm dead…and if that does happen, you have to take this.' He handed her the bottle with a solemn expression.

'I d-don't understand…' Emma's brows furrowed as she turned the liquid in her hand. She didn't like where this was going at all. He had been full of fierce tenacity outside but away from the crew he had deflated and it scared her rigidly.

'There are some fates worse than death,' He muttered before walking past her. Poison. He had given her poison so she could kill herself if they got to her? Emma wanted to protest that she would never do such a thing, she would never give up no matter what. Yet he was right, she didn't even want to imagine what would happen if a crew full of bloodthirsty men found her alive…

'What do they even want? If they're pirates then shouldn't you be friends or something? I don't understand why all this is happening!' She argued weakly pushing back the threat of tears in her eyes. This was a time to stay strong and that was exactly what she was going to do. He didn't even answer her questions, as if he knew but didn't want to tell her. A reason that she wouldn't like to hear.

'When all this is over maybe you can then tell me your name?' He said quietly instead from behind her. She turned just in time to capture that brief flicker of a smile. There was a moment of silence, excluding the rhythmic beat of steel and shouts outside and Emma bit her lip as she looked down at her hands.

'Killian wait, my name…' She started and looked up to find that he had already gone. She rushed up to the door and pushed on it but the bastard had moved something in front of the doors so she couldn't get out. 'You stupid pirate let me out!' She kicked at the door but it was no use. She ran to the porthole at the end of the cabin and peered out to try and see what was happening. The sea had gone and in its place were the weather worn boards of another ship.

The roars from outside were suddenly louder and it felt as if the ship dipped with the weight of the arrival. Words couldn't even begin to describe what she was feeling but she had nearly thrown up with the nerves as she seemed to just wait for death to come knocking on the door. With every passing moment that seemed to stretch interminably she paced, clawed at her hair with bursts of fear and had ended up curled on Killian's bed with his musty, salty scented blanket wrapped around her.

The sound of battle was diminishing and finally Emma let herself shed a tear in a soft whimper as they couldn't have possibly been victorious. Her heart caught in her mouth as blood curdling cheers that she didn't recognise rattled from beyond the doorway, the only thing that was keeping her safe. They were dead…he was dead…and now she would die. She could hear a muffled, sure sounded voice and then slowly, a grinding scraping of wood. They were coming into the cabin, they would find her…she swallowed and sat up with shaking breaths that she couldn't control. The bottle tremored in her hands as she removed the cork. Tears streaked down her face as she raised the bottle to her lips.

'Take it! Please say you've taken it!' Killian's guttural cry cut through everything and seemed to echo in her ears. The bottle lowered… He was alive? They hadn't killed him and yet he was telling her to take it? She put the cork back into the bottle and tucked it into one of her boots.

Not knowing the reason as to why, she charged toward the door; picking up a spare sword from the chest. Shaking away the last of her fears she kicked the door as hard as she could. She was rewarded with an almighty cry as it seemed to have connected with someone who was standing behind it. Pushing her way out of the cabin she was met with the aftermath of their war at sea. Corpses littered the floor of men she recognised and those she didn't surrounded her with harsh lined faces. There was one face that she recognised and he was alive, she caught his horrified eyes at seeing her there. A gash at his head had streaked down his face and he was trussed up against the stump of the mast. Emma brandished the sword but it was taken from her before she could even do anything and she winced as her hair was tugged into unknown hands.

'What is this woman to you  _Greyjoy?'_ The gritty owner of the hands mocked him, spitting blood at her feet. It was him she had hit then.

'A poor excuse of a whore from Pentos.' He answered tearing his gaze from her. She resisted the urge to object knowing that he was trying to protect her in some god awful way. A whore though? That was just asking for the whole crew to grind themselves into her.

'You're lying!' The man spat pulling on her head harder and she bit on her tongue to hold back the pain.

'What reason do I have for lying?!' Killian bit back struggling against the bonds that tied him. It was honestly a heart breaking to see the same man who had laughed with his crew only this morning in this position. Now surrounded with the dead bodies of his crew, his ship in ruins and his life hanging in the balance of the men who did it.

'I'm a bastard corrupted with the magic of the undying.' She answered for him, knowing that the pretence wouldn't last. His eyes flashed angrily to her and Emma looked away but mouthed an apology to him.

'Why are you here?' The man was addressing her now, his threatening voice rough in her ear. She saw only one way to possibly save them both. If she deemed them valuable them perhaps they would see the situation differently.

'Don't.' Killian's voice warned her but she ignored him. He was greeted with punch across the face from a nearby man however and she closed her eyes as she spoke next.

'The Captain was transporting me as an important passenger to Westeros, as order by Saan.' She had remembered the name but had no other information about the man or the deal. The greedy faces of the other men looked to the man holding her. He was in charge? It made it even better that she had hurt him. He had come to a decision although he hadn't voiced it.

'If you know what's good for you boy, you'll tell us the truth from now on,' He snarled at Killian as he dragged her over to him. 'And you're a good little girl aren't you? I'll be seeing you later.' He smirked, not like the playful smirk of her Captain, no this was darker and it made Emma's stomach turn. She was thrust from him and she stumbled to the floor beside Killian before the victorious leader sauntered away to bark orders.

'Why didn't you take it?' Killian whispered to her but it wasn't a question that she could answer. She huddled closer to him, her knees drawn up to her chest. She rested her head against his shoulder and she felt his tenseness soften.

'Emma, my name is Emma.'


	5. KILLIAN

The crewless Captain brought the heel of a hand to his head, the blood of his wound having dried but it didn't stop the pounding. The skin around Killian's wrists was raw and bleeding from his endless struggles and he pulled them taut uselessly once more with a frustrated sigh. For once there was more at stake then his pride and there was no knowing what his father's men had in store for them. He wasn't even considered a Greyjoy anymore; he had disgraced his name as his father would undeniably say. Silence was interrupted by the odd rustling of chains and the continual dripping of water from the decks above them. He could make out Emma's figure in the darkness of the cell opposite him but neither had spoken since being brought down below.

'Emma?' Silence. Chains. Drip. Drip. 'Emma?'

'Just because I tell you my name it doesn't give you the excuse to use it fifty times in one minute.'

'I just counted and I'm sure it's just two.'

'Oh good you can count, a shame you can't see a massive ship coming towards us.'

'What happened to our tender little moment at the mast? I thought we'd passed the sarcastic hatred?'

'I think I'm passed most things by now.'

'Then what's wrong?' Killian's voice softened and he pushed himself toward the bars. He could list the possibilities but till now she still had the fire he'd seen on deck, even if he had wanted to sew her mouth shut during that moment.

'The thought of him touching me…I can't…'

'It won't come to that. I won't let it come to that.' His grip on the bars tightened as the thought of it sickened him too. Iron men weren't known for their kind-heartedness, quite the opposite in fact.

'How can you say that? We're both chained up in here!' Emma snapped before she quietened once more. Killian couldn't answer because in truth she was right, the best he could do would be to flail against the bars and throw the foulest of curses he could muster.

'Everything is gone. My ship, my crew, the cargo…everything.' Killian whispered after some time as he slumped back against the bars. At least however, they had quick and honourable deaths in battle and even though he was stuck here there was one thing that he wanted to do and that was to survive.

'The pirate is finally getting a taste of his own medicine.' Emma spoke up and despite knowing it to be true he found himself hurt by her tone. The probability of being a salt whore to two dozen iron men would pierce the barriers of any strong willed mind.

'Why didn't you take it Emma?' Killian had given it to her for this very reason. Perhaps she was a fighter like he was and the risk was worth taking but was she reconsidering her decision now?

'I wanted to keep it for a rainy day and before you ask, yes I still have it and no, I won't be taking it.' Emma answered and his head quickly turned as he could suddenly see her tuck a strand of bedraggled blonde hair behind her ear. A gruff but young looking man, aged by the harsh weathers of the Iron Islands sauntered in and toward Emma's cell, a lamp swaying in his fist.

'I hope it hasn't been too cold down here for ya. The Captain wants the bed warmed after all.' His sniggering left Killian wanting to run his sword through his chest.

'If you think I'm going to come quietly then you are sorely mistaken.' Emma growled at him but still kept her distance toward the back of the cell.

'Aww, isn't that sweet? The tainted whore thinks she has a choice.' These men were used to hardened women and they would prefer one who put up a bit of a fight, Killian hated that he knew this. He saw leaving the Iron Islands not as a betrayal but as an escape.

'If you touch her you'll be faced with me and the entire of Saan's fleet. I wouldn't want that, would you?' Killian tried to be calm and threatening but it came out in gritted unrestrained anger. They wouldn't touch her, they couldn't touch her.

'Is that so? You always had your head in the clouds not the sea didn't you Killian?' The man turned to face him and after a moment of studying the face Killian's eyes widened with recognition.

'Gendall?' The menacing grin on the man's face answered for him and although he shouldn't, Killian felt a pang of betrayal. 'If you valued our frie-' He was interrupted when Gendall spat at him, a look of pure distaste on the face of his once childhood friend.

'You are nothing more than a bastard! You turned your back on all of us!' Gendall shouted and moved to Killian's cell, inches away from the bars. 'And you know what? Perhaps I'll have a little go of her myself, I'm sure you'd love that wouldn't you?' Killian growled at his threat and before Gendall could step back he slammed his head into the bars, the shackles cutting painfully into him with the effort. Gendall slumped unconscious to the floor and Killian grunted as he ignored the pain and stretched through the bars to reach the keys at his belt.

'What are you doing?' Emma asked but her face was once again shrouded in darkness as the lamp had all but smashed when it hit the floor.

'What does it look like love?' Killian scoffed lightly and he grimaced as he felt a slow trickle of blood meander down his fingers but soon sighed with relief when they hooked on the ring of keys. He unlocked his cell but none fit his shackles.

'I know you're a pirate and used to this type of thing but-'

'How gracious of you to remind me.'

'But what happens after we get out of the cells? If you couldn't take on the crew with all of your men how are you going to do it on your own?' Emma continued to question and it was a pretty good one at that. One which he didn't have an answer to.

'I'll think of something.'

'That's your plan?! Just see how it goes?' Killian was close enough to see her incredulous eyes stare up at him as he opened the locks of her cell.

'You're just going to have to trust me on this one. Can you do that Emma?' Killian asked seriously, offering out his hands to her. If she didn't then there was really no hope of this succeeding. She continued to stare at him until she had come to some silent decision in her head and her chained hands reached up to take his.

'The last time I trusted someone it didn't go so well.' Emma whispered as he helped her up onto her feet. A silence came between them as he looked to their hands but it wasn't an awkward one, not in his eyes anyway.

'That someone wasn't me now was it?' Killian replied tilting his head as he looked back up to her. He matched the smile that crept across her face but it was if she had realised what she had been doing and it disappeared as quickly as it came.

'How can I trust a pirate who intended on selling me on to some unknown person across the sea?' She scoffed and stepped around him and bent to pick up the sword at Gendall's side. He moved to take the sword from her hands and weighted it in his own; the shackles wouldn't let him move to his usual style of fighting so he would have to fight two handed.

'It seems we're all set but don't go wandering off.'

'Where am I going to wander off to?' She questioned a hand moving to her hip and Killian rolled his eyes before he pushed Gendall with his foot into his cell. That was one less man to have to think about. That was when another voice sounded from the stairs that led below deck. He shushed Emma and pulled her with him into the shadows by some stacked barrels.

'Gendall? Captain's sick of waiting!' The voice was closer than before and heavy footsteps creaked down toward them. 'Gendall!' Killian tightened the grip on the sword, waiting for the right moment in which to strike. Of all the possibilities he didn't expect the six foot man to fall to the floor with a barrel lid shattered across the back of his head.

'Couldn't let you have all the fun now could I?' Emma breathed and a laugh escaped her as Killian gaped.

'How is it possible that you are becoming even more attractive as time goes by?' His devilish smile returned and it widened at the narrowing of her eyes. Shaking his head he quickly decided that they couldn't waste any more time and he beckoned her to follow him. At the top of the stairs, he thrust his blade through the back of a one eared man and a gurgling moan left the dying man's lips as he collapsed to the deck. He silenced one more grisly faced iron islander before the ship came alive. Sword wielding men ran at him from all corners of the ship, voices ringing out to alert the others. A few slick parries and another dropped to the deck, blood soaking the weather worn boards. He spun when he heard one from behind him but a flash of blonde and his towering frame fell clutching at his gut.

'Look out!' Emma motioned with her blood tipped sword as the men started to overwhelm and surround them.

'Didn't I say you'd make a hell of a pirate?' Killian's sword clattered against another but he had to retreat backwards when two more swords flashed toward him.

'Have you thought of something yet?' She panted, her back pressed against his. No. He hadn't thought of anything. After hearing what they had planned for Emma he just wanted to do  _something._

'What is this!?' Every single head snapped to the top deck when Captain Orlick shouldered out of his cabin. All hope was beginning to slowly slip away from Killian's grasp, the only strand left was that he had distracted and delayed them from touching her. He had promised he wouldn't let it come to that.

'The turn cloak is being overprotective over his bastard wench!' A man hollered as he turned back and stared at Killian with a snarl. A silent gesture from Orlick and the fence of swords that surrounded them were hoisted up and the swollen nosed Captain stepped into the space. The crew remained quiet out of reverence but Killian didn't loosen the grip on his sword.

'You disgrace your name and yet the sea still runs through your veins. You would have been a fine Greyjoy, but you chose a path of dishonour and now you fight alone, shackled and imprisoned, and foolishly protecting this whore. Aye, she may come to fetch a few coins but unlike you I like to know exactly what I'm bargaining with.' Orlick's arms crossed his chest with a challenging smirk but his words only infuriated Killian more.

'My direct orders were that she was not to be touched! If you do then you would have to settle the anger of Saan's benefactor!' Not even Killian knew who this person was that had tickled the pirate's fancy but Saan's eyes had practically flashed gold.

'I will not cower to the commands of any man!' Orlick raged, spittle coating his cracked lips. 'And I will not take orders from a dead man. That is where we are taking you boy! We are taking you back to the home you deserted so that you can be judged and punished for your betrayal.'

'Who is she to suffer for my crimes? You see honour where there is none!' Killian countered and his crew turned to look at him. It was a useless argument but he was desperate to put this to rights. 'Punish me but not her.'

'Don't…I'm not worth it.' It was Emma's turn to try and silence him and she placed a hand at his arm but he wasn't going to back down.

'You will be rewarded more than a few coins if she is returned unharmed.' Killian added to prove that very point. Orlick studied him and then Emma for what felt like an age and his expression gave nothing away. He hated that both of their fates were in the hands of such a brutish man.

'The pirate wants to cheat your Captain out of some harmless fun! So, if the he wants his wish then he'd best provide the fun isn't that right?' Orlick addressed his crew and they hollered in agreeing unison. All that effort in rebelling was quelled in an instant and Killian was seized, disarmed and dragged away from Emma's side.

'No! What are you doing?' He heard her call after him but he was powerless to do anything but struggle as he was pushed against a blood-stained mast. For a reason unbeknownst to him, his shackles were removed and he stood alone in the middle of the deck, the entire crew surrounding him in a sneering circle.

'Who wants the first jab at our fearsome little pirate?' Orlick asked to the crowd mockingly, his meaty arm wrapped tightly around Emma. It was a sight that spurred him past the fear and replaced it with a bubbling anger. A grizzled man, decorated with horrific scaring across his chest and throat stepped forward with thundering cheers from the crew. He didn't speak but just growled hoarsely before limbering up. 'This is your last chance boy, is she really worth it?' Emma recoiled from Orlick's touch as he stroked her cheek.

'Aye, that she is.' Killian answered confidently, her eyes widened and she shook her head slowly as his eyes met hers. It was a tender moment that was quashed with pain as the scarred man used it as an opportunity to land the first punch. Killian was propelled back with the force and grunted as his back connected with the mast.

'You'd best make it a trade worthwhile!' Orlick taunted him as Killian righted himself as quickly as he could manage. He could taste the tang of the blood that dripped from his now broken nose and the dizziness he had felt earlier had increased drastically. However, he had to follow through if he were to protect Emma and after a brief circling he hit back with a punch of his own, connecting with the man's jaw. He didn't waste the time that the scarred man used to recover and fought back with another, this one hitting his weakened scars at his throat. The man gasped for air and Killian stepped back triumphantly seeing that he'd so quickly found the man's weakness.

'Have the iron islanders softened in my absence?' Killian asked with a smirk and there were roars of protests from the surrounding men. Another stepped forward, this one smaller than the last but his glare was cold and unrelenting.

'Give him a dousing first!' Orlick interjected before the bawl began. Killian arched an eyebrow in confusion but then a freezing cold bucket of salt water was thrown at him, he held back the hiss of pain as the salt sought out every cut and sore. This man was tougher than the last and the power of their punches were evenly matched as they both continued to withstand each other's blows. Killian's lip was cut, he felt bruised all over and the wound on his head had reopened. A kick to the groin though and his opponent fell, there had been no rules after all. The second dousing of salt water was more painful than the last, this time he cried out in pain and shook his hair of the water that dripped down his face.

'Leave him alone! He doesn't deserve this!'

'It was his choice. He could have just shared his little whore.'

Killian's chest heaved and his strength was draining rapidly as the third was set upon him. He managed to land a few jabs but they lacked the power of his previous ones and his hands became heavy and his movement laboured.

'This is for Hadrian.' His rival growled when he saw that Killian was all but defeated, and punched him so that he collapsed onto his knees. Hadrian must be a man they had killed during the poor excuse of a rebellion and they must have been friends for that punch had made quite an impact. He spat blood to the deck and weakly lifted his head to squint up at the blurry figure that loomed over him. He heard the slice of a sword being drawn from a scabbard. The cold bite of metal scraped across the stubble of his cheek and down to his throat.

'No! No don't!' Emma's voice cut through all the shouts and he used the moment to try and recover, every part of him ached and a quiet groan trembled from him. He couldn't do anymore, there was nothing left to give but he hoped it was enough.

'That's enough! His sentence is not for us to carry out!' Orlick stopped the death that Killian had thought would come. 'That said, we can't have any more repeats of earlier now can we?' He added and he continued to talk but Killian couldn't catch it as his focus was on blocking out the pain.

'Wait, what are you doing? You've had your fun you bastards now let him go!' Emma yelled as Killian felt himself being lifted up off the floor. He was laid out against something hard…a barrel? He closed his eyes as there wasn't much difference with them open and he couldn't struggle as he was being held in position. 'Stop! He did as you asked! Stop!' It was the last thing he heard before it happened. The pain was indescribable. He thought that he had no strength left but he had enough to let out a gut wrenching scream as the pain showed no sign of ceasing and he continued to do so before the blackness consumed him.


End file.
